Judge Goodwin visits Sisters High School

Sisters students got a glimpse of how far a kid from Central Oregon can climb last week as they enjoyed a visit from Judge Alfred T. Goodwin.

Goodwin, who was raised in Prineville, graduated from the University of Oregon and calls Sisters home in the summertime, is a senior federal judge on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he has served since 1971, when he was appointed to the bench by President Richard Nixon.

History teacher Bill Rexford was thrilled to have Goodwin at the school, where he met with advance-placement history students and students from the constitutional law program "We the People."

Sisters resident Bruce Rognlien arranged the visit through a mutual acquaintance.

Ronglien "went out of his way to make a connection," Rexford said.

Goodwin is perhaps best known for a controversial decision in a 2002 case involving the recitation of the pledge of allegiance. The Ninth Circuit Court found that recitation of the pledge including the words "Under God" violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court later reversed the ruling based on an issue of standing.

The ruling created a furor at the time, and remains profoundly interesting to students today. Through it all, Goodwin remained unflappable. Rexford noted that the issue sparked lively conversation in the classroom and he actually had to move the group on to discuss other issues.

"They would have talked about religion in the schools for the whole hour," Rexford said.

The group went on to explore other constitutional matters, including the concept of "original intent."

For Rexford, the opportunity to engage with Judge Goodwin goes beyond the academic benefits of getting a glimpse into the inner workings of the federal courts. Goodwin serves as an example of achievement, Rexford believes. He was raised in rural Central Oregon, which was in his youth a real backwater. He served in World War II before studying law and setting his feet on the path to great distinction in his field.

"I just wanted my students to see how big their lives can be - what an impact they can have, just like (Judge Goodwin)," Rexford said. "We have students in our school that I know can achieve things like he achieved. They just need to see these role models."

photo provided

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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